Centre signs US $200 million loan deal with World Bank for POSHAN Abhiyaan

Last Updated: Wednesday 09 May 2018

Credit: DFID/Flickr

The Union government on May 7 signed a loan deal worth US $200 million with the World Bank for the National Nutrition Mission or POSHAN Abhiyaan. The loan would help India in achieving its goal of reducing stunting in children 0-6 years of age from 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022.

The POSHAN (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8 this year at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

The scheme aims to ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers and children. It also targets to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and low birth rate. On April 18, at the first meeting of the National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges under the POSHAN Abhiyaan, the annual targets of the scheme were set. They are as under:

S.No

Objective

Target

1

Prevent and reduce stunting in children (0-6years)

By 6% @ 2% p.a.

2

Prevent and reduce under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) in children (0-6 years)

By 6% @ 2% p.a.

3

Reduce the prevalence of anaemia among young Children(6-59 months)

By 9% @ 3% p.a.

4

Reduce the prevalence of anemia among Women and Adolescent Girls in the age group of 15-49 years.

By 9% @ 3% p.a.

5

Reduce Low Birth Weight (LBW).

By 6% @ 2% p.a.

When the Abhiyaan was approved in 2017, the Union government stated that Rs 9,046.17 crore had been allocated for the next three years, commencing from 2017-18.

Between the budgeting years 2015-16 to 2016-17 the amount spent only on nutritional schemes accounted for about Rs 25,600 crore for Centrally Sponsored Schemes. Overall, nutrition allocations from the Union government have increased by 1.4 per cent, states this analysis.

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